SC accepts plea over Biharis return

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Tuesday accepting an application regarding thousands of Pakistanis trapped in Bangladesh issued notices to the attorney general for Pakistan for assistance to the parties.An application related to bringing thousands of Pakistanis from Bangladesh had been filed five years ago. Justice Nasirul Mulk heading a three-member bench heard the application of Advocate Rasheed ul Haq Qazi.The petitioner informed the court that according to the constitution if a citizen is trapped anywhere in the world then it was the state responsibility to make efforts to bring him back in the country. But in Baharis’ case the constitutional provisions are violated. He said that according to the Simla Pact the Pakistanis had to be brought back, but so far no step was taken for their return. In 1993 around 325 persons were brought back, he added.The court inquired from him whether Pakistan had accepted them its citizens and whether the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka had issued them identity cards. Justice Nasir further asked why these Pakistanis themselves come back.The learned counsel said that they don’t have passports and the resources. He said they also love Pakistan like other citizens and, therefore, had refused the citizenship of India and Bangladesh. He cited so many international and Pakistani laws, saying the governments had been reluctant to bring back Baharis.The court accepting the application adjourned thee case for indefinite period.

This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 14-May-2014 here.